Famines

When Lynn Patterson resolved to lose weight early this year, she took a hormone normally associated with pregnancy, not dieting. The 53-year-old Catonsville nurse went on the hCG diet, named for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that is produced naturally in pregnant women and often used in fertility treatments to trigger ovulation. Promoters of the diet say hCG suppresses the appetite, making it easy to stick to a diet of just 500 calories a day. They also say it helps the body burn fat while retaining muscle. Patterson said the plan helped her lose 58 pounds in just four months. "I'm probably the smallest I ever remember being," said Patterson, who dropped from a...

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When Lynn Patterson resolved to lose weight early this year, she took a hormone normally associated with pregnancy, not dieting.
The 53-year-old Catonsville nurse went on the hCG diet, named for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that is produced...